The National Communications Commission (NCC) is in the process of amending the Telecommunications Act (電信法) to penalize people selling radio frequency devices to illegal radio operators. People found to be engaging in such activities could be fined between NT$100,000 and NT$500,000, depending on the severity of the offense, the draft amendment said.
NCC spokesperson Chen Jeng-chang (陳正倉) said the draft amendment of Article 49 of the act was proposed to crack down on underground radio.
Chen said that under the new mechanism, people purchasing radio frequency equipment would have to provide a radio operation permit and a license.
This should address the problem of underground radio once and for all, he said.
“While we have actively cracked down on illegal radio stations, they can quickly resume operations because it is easy for them to purchase radio frequency equipment,” Chen said.
He said Article 49 only required that manufacturers and importers of radio frequency equipment report model numbers and quantities to the administrative agency. The same article, however, does not regulate vendors of radio frequency devices.
As of yesterday, only four illegal radio stations remained in service, Chen said.
Meanwhile, Chen said the commission would soon provide courses nationwide for current operators, as well as people interested in operating radio stations, based on the new regulations.
Chen said an amendment to the Broadcasting and Television Act (廣播電視法), which would provide a legal basis for the issuance of new radio licenses, was submitted to the Legislative Yuan for review.
Illegal radio operators could use this opportunity to become legal, he said.
“Once we start auctioning the licenses, we will also set different bidding prices based on several factors, including the average income of the residents in a certain region and the number of listeners the radio service will cover,” Chen said.
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